Tiger, Tiger
by Nobbie
Summary: Not your typical Twilight fanfiction. This one's not centered around our lovely *cough* protagonists in the slightest way. Does Monster Hunting sound good? I'm game. Post Breaking Dawn
1. Prologue

P R O L O G U E

"You have no idea what you're doing." The body of evil almost growled, backing up slowly. The creature's movements were almost fluid, his steps flowing in a sort of rhythm. His bronze locks were the only things that seemed alive about him. His eyes were the darkest gold, meaning thirst or something equally ridiculous.

It was sickening. "Oh, I think I know _exactly_ what I'm about to do." Pistol raised, hand steady, I approached him, mirroring his steps. I had no choice but to do away with him. He was a monster - monsters are to be eliminated. I would have to deal with his mate later.

"We have done no harm." He said for the umpteenth time. "What makes you think you can just show up and destroy everything we have?" His voice turned soft, almost a whisper. Even then he sounded harmless. He always did. He always wasn't.

"You have nothing." I said through clenched teeth. It bothered me that he didn't run. "You never did. That damn doctor should've left you to die. If his _heart _didn't bleed so often, he wouldn't have made the idiotic mis--" He pounced before I'd finished my sentence.


	2. Seriously?

**Oo1. Seriously?**

Oh, Jesus, why me? It's _always_ me who stupidly goes one-on-one against the fricking Superman of the mission. I hate everything.

The night was incredibly silent. Way too silent if you asked me, but I probably won't remember it too clearly. What I do remember is how annoying the dew in the grass felt when it jumped into the air and fell into my shoe as I stomped on the pasture. Besides my clumsy dashing through the rustling leaves, it was all quiet. My predator made no sound as it trailed me.

My pistol was gripped was gripped so tightly in my hand that my fingers were numb (partly because of the cold air). My ammunition was dry and my other holster was empty – I didn't have very good odds.

I could just barely hear my stalker's footsteps over the air rushing past my ears. Twice I almost tripped over an overlarge tree root as I tore through and around the trees, which fed my growing claustrophobia. My harried breaths started to get even louder over the leaves while I tried my best to make my dark uniform mesh with the even darker forest.

I heard a distinct snicker in the night air.

"Getting tired already, Hunter?" A smooth, sharp voice pierced through the silence. I had no idea where I was or how close my chaser was on my tail. It had begun to get even harder to maneuver around the thick trees as the branches covered the moon, making the ground impossible to see.

My shoulder collided with the bark of what felt like an oak tree painfully.

"Shit." I groaned as quietly as I could and didn't stop to get back on form from my stagger and kept on running, feeling the deep gash that was left on my upper arm sting. I gripped at the wound as hard as I could to stop the bleeding—

"Aah…" I heard my predator inhaling the air, the male voice echoing around me.

"What a marvelous aroma. Your blood smells lovely, Hunter." The voice turned gruffer, more distinct. He must've been closer than I thought.

"Damn." I whispered harshly while my run started to turn into a quick shuffle. Warm blood trickled uncomfortably down my arm onto the dirt. The atmosphere was almost totally dark now.

"Nearly there." I muttered, shivering slightly from the cold air and wincing from the pain on my arm. The trees began to separate themselves, leading to a clearing in the distance. I ignored the incoming cramp on my thigh and sped up as much as I could.

Before I could step into the clearing, a crippling force slammed onto my back, lifting me into the air before slamming me painfully to the earth, sliding me a few feet across the ground.

I felt my heart go into overdrive before I felt the stabbing pain at the small of my back. I groaned, my chin aching from the impact onto the dry leaves. My panic grew stronger as whatever attacked me gave out the most sinister laugh I'd heard in a long time. It creeped the _hell _out of me, to say the least.

"Nice try, Hunter. Or should I say Huntress, now that I see you clearly?" His voice was like a thorn in my ear. I glared at the dead leaves, noticing the feeling on my right arm fading. The blood was still pouring out of my sleeve, slowing a little bit from its horizontal angle.

I felt a stone-cold hand wrap around my wrist tightly before twisting my arm around my back. I knew the lesion had opened even more then. I bit on my lip to squelch my scream.

He sniffed at my sleeve, inhaling the smell of my blood in ecstasy. His other hand quickly grabbed at my shoulder and gripped at it powerfully, almost ripping my skin off. I felt an ocean of hot blood pour out. My eyebrows smashed together in agony and I forgot to squelch.

He laughed again after my cry of intense pain was over. Asshole.

My arm was lifted again to what was probably his face. I was immensely disgusted to feel what felt like his tongue forage my blood-soaked fingers. My anger overtook my excruciating pain and I slammed my hand onto the earth, struggling to lift myself up, despite his weight on me—

"No, no." He slammed my face back onto the ground with his hand. I tasted blood. "There won't be any of that."

His hand pressed at the back of my head, keeping me in the dirt despite my struggles. I couldn't breathe. The feeling on my right arm was definitely gone. He must've dropped it, because I felt a sub-zero hand sweep my chestnut hair off my neck. The hand gently pressed at my skin, my quickening pulse almost lifting his fingers. I shivered under his touch uncomfortably.

"Don't be frightened." He whispered into my ear in what could have been a soothing voice. My heart was hammering against my chest painfully. I felt light-headed from my lack of oxygen.

"I'll make this quick." I felt his ice-cold breath at my neck and then nothing.

I heard multiple sounds. A click, a growl, a bang. It was very disorientating. It all felt like I was hearing it from under a ton of water. I _think_ I heard someone say my name, but I can't be sure. It sounded like a thousand people. I was being moved a lot while I rose in and out of consciousness at random times to meet bright lights or blurred hands before I finally slipped into a numb, deep sleep.

I dreamed I was suspended over a blazing fire. The fire was huge and it seemed to go for miles. I was high enough that the flames didn't touch me but the scorching air licked at my face and body. At first it felt sort of nice. Warm. Slowly it got hotter and hotter. It burned at my skin. I didn't like it. Dreams weren't supposed to hurt. It seemed like every second, something was lowering me closer and closer to the fires. I couldn't move. I couldn't feel anything but the heat coursing through my veins.

Then there was a cool blackness.

I felt hot and uncomfortable. My senses slowly started to take in what was going on before I could open my eyes. I didn't want to know where I was. I just wished I would stop feeling so sore and heavy. Soon enough, I got tired of wishing and slowly fluttered my eyes open to whiteness everywhere.

I winced and totally regretted it, feeling a throbbing at my left eye. I blinked painfully, trying to take in my surroundings. I moved my arms and legs to check for anything missing – I was fully stocked. My movements hurt, but I was okay on the whole. I was lying on something soft – a few seconds and I realized I was on an all-white hospital bed. The sun exploded through the huge windows, illuminating everything from the dresser to my left to the IV to my right. I let out a sigh and sunk into the pillow even further, my eyes sliding closed.

"Finally awake?" A voice startled me enough to throw the pastel covers off of myself and sit up – a big mistake.

"Hey, hey, cool your jets!" A curly headed figure hurried over to my side as I gripped at my sides, trying to pull myself together because I felt like I was literally being ripped apart. "You're going to reopen your wounds." She gently pushed me by the shoulders back onto the bed.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip while I waited for the pain to recede. I heard Lily chuckle lightly and rest herself on something. I opened my eyes again and turned my head to see her sitting on a cushiony chair next to my bed. She smiled but I could see the genuine worry in her aquamarine eyes.

"How long was I out?" I asked. My voice sounded thick from the sleep.

"Three days, I think." She answered without hesitation.

I was mildly surprised. Three days? The most I've ever slept was ten hours. It now made sense why my mind was a little slow.

"You okay?" Lily broke through my thoughts warily. I didn't see her hop off of her chair, but there she was, hovering over me, her long, curly brown hair floating just above my chin.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." I tried to smile bit it hurt too much, making it a weird sort of grimace. She exhaled a long-held breath and sank into her chair. Without warning, she broke into a giant grin. "I saved your ass, you know."

"Did you now?" I smirked in spite of myself ("Ow") and cocked an eyebrow.

"Yep! That freak almost had you for dinner!" She immediately leaned towards me and launched into an animated explanation. "See, you were dead in the dirt, pretty much, and he was just about to suck the life out of you…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes wavered to my face for half a second before she regained momentum.

"S'anyway. He was just about to mutilate you before BAM!" She yelled out the last word while raising her spread out hands for emphasis, "I flicked the lights on him! I had at least three hundred watts on the guy (almost blinded myself)!"

I laughed (or groaned) at her enthusiasm. "So he burned up? I'll never believe how easy these vampires snuff out."

"Actually," Her ecstatic body language turned into confusion and dissatisfaction in a split second, "you're never going to believe it, but – nothing happened!"

A silence followed while her words slowly began to sink in.

"Nothing? What do you mean nothing?"

"I mean _nothing_." She nodded her head seriously. "Zilch. Nada. Zero! He didn't burn up, shrivel, or even convulse a little! Nothing!" She threw up her hands in frustration. I stared at her, blinking stupidly.

"Nothing." I repeated slowly.

"Nothing." She replied just as gravely.

The faint footsteps outside merged with the empty silence that floated over us. My shock dulled along with my senses and the fact that the vampire didn't sizzle under three hundred watts of white light ceased to phase me.

"Oh! And there's another thing." Lily's high voice rattled at my eardrums.

"What other thing?" I asked almost cautiously.

"He—Well, you won't believe me—"

"Then don't tell me."

"But I have to!"

"Do you want to?"

"Yes!" She nodded her head vigorously, total focus in her bright eyes. The sight tickled me, but I fought not to laugh to avoid pain.

"Then go." I turned my head to face the ceiling and tried to relax a little. Meanwhile, Lily seemed to be trying to find the best words to describe exactly what she had seen.

"Weeellll…" She began, wincing somewhat and pursing her lips while running a thumb through her neat curls. "After I blasted the lights on him, he…Sort of…"

"Sort of what?" I asked impatiently.

"I'm getting to it!"

"Then say it!"

"Shimmered!"

_That_ snapped my eyes open. I sat up again, barely registering the stabbing pain and faced her, eyebrow raised until it disappeared under my bangs. "Shimmered." I repeated.

"Sparkled, glistened, twinkled," She shrugged. "Whichever verb you prefer."

I sat there, eyebrow still raised, trying to picture a situation in which a vampire would…Glisten. The monster that ferociously chased me down and nearly killed me could…_Sparkle_?

"Cut the crap, Lillian." I slouched and rested my face in my hands. How could I believe her so readily? My partner, Miss Pretense City, could hardly go a day without letting the tiniest little-white-lie slip out of her little pink lips. I was ashamed and, frankly, pissed that I would even get close to falling for such an obvious, not to mention ridiculous, tall-tale.

"What are you talking about?" She asked innocently, tilting her head to the side, her perfectly thin, brown eyebrow arched. She was good. "And you know my name is _not_ Lillian!"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," My voice was slightly muffled by my hands, "I'm not an idiot. Vampires don't...Twinkle."

"_That_ one did!" She exclaimed indignantly. It sounded like she really meant it. She's really good.

I shook my head and (though you couldn't see it) rolled my eyes. Lily was trying really hard with this one. I'd lived long enough with that girl to know not to take everything she says seriously. She was too trigger-happy to live sincerely – but it usually served as a great asset to the both of us. I was the unpracticed pacifist and she was the man I hold back for intimidation purposes. Handy.

Before I could roll my eyes and scoff even more at her blatant lie, I heard the door swing open quickly.

"She awake?" I heard a familiarly blunt female voice and sat up (with a twinge of pain, I could add).

"Well, it's about time, punk!" Said the girl before either Lily or I could answer her first question. She dashed to my bed so fast that she was a blur and leaped into the air, landing loudly onto the canopy, her knees on either side of me. I flinched from how close her knee was to falling onto my leg, not noticing it when she wrapped an arm around my neck tightly and pulled my head forward whilst rubbing my noggin relentlessly.

"Thought you were never gonna wake your ass up, Lazy Bones!" She laughed heartily while I struggled to get free. "Get off her, Kyra! She's still pretty wrecked up!" Lily exclaimed reproachfully.

"All right, all right." Kyra grinned hugely and gave me one solid noogie for good measure. Before she could totally release me from her vice-like grip, I stretched my arm over the back of our heads and proceeded to ram her vicious little face into the bed. She laughed while trying to wiggle out of my hold and managed to lift herself up a few inches, "Good—to see—you're better!—Caaaammy!" She yelled out between spasms of laughs.

"Yeah, yeah," I grinned in spite of the annoyance growing inside of me, caused from the use of my most hated nickname. "Good to see you too." I said through clenched teeth while continuing to smash her head into suffocation.


	3. Shame

**oo2. Shame**

"Are you sure you're good for another mission, Camryn?" Asked Lily for what seemed like the thousandth time. I swear, she could be the team's resident worry-wart if Joy hadn't already claimed that position years ago. Ever since I had arranged my discharge out of the hospital after being almost mutilated by that vampire, she'd been a damn harpy with me – always checking if I was sore or shoving me out of the way if she saw a 'potential threat' (i.e., a squirrel, a running child, a falling fruit, et cetera, et cetera…).

"Aw, get off her back, Lillian." Kyra stepped up beside me and leaned forward to shoot a smirk at Lily, "She's been locked up in the hospital for, like, two weeks. That's thirteen days and twenty-three hours more than I could do. Let her have some freedom, heh?"

"I kind of agree with Lily." Joy walked up to Lily's side, her rosy red waves of hair flowing along behind her. I keep telling the girl to tie all that hair up or something before it gets caught in a tree.

"Shocker." Kyra said sarcastically to her older sister. Kyra and Joy Panning were walking polar opposites. While Kyra was slightly insane and often prone to angry outbursts, Joy was sweet, gentle and motherly. They were both annoying in their own unique ways.

"I'm just saying, Cam was messed up pretty bad—No offense!" She added hastily with an apologetic smile.

"None taken. Really." I assured her and shoved my hands into my pockets, "Let's just forget about the fact that I had been somehow beaten in a low-class mission and move on with our lives, mmkay?" I was more than a little humiliated by my defeat. I usually don't get too banged up from a job, especially if it's a vampire we're talking about. It's one of those dragon or ogre missions when I get a broken arm or a black eye. I _really_ don't want to think about myself being totally owned by a two legged opponent. It's just embarrassing.

"Fine, fine. Maybe Sam will give us another smalltime job and nobody will get hurt." Lily huffed and continued walking with the rest of the team towards our superior's office to get our next job for the day. "And my name is _not _Lillian!"

The sun shone through the fifty foot tall windows that were basically the walls in the enormous facility that was Humans Against Monsters (H.A.M) headquarters. Hey, I didn't come up with the name! The place was made way before my _grandfather _was born. Apparently monster hunting goes waaaay back to the beginning of forever, which explains why most of our council members (yeah, we have those. I don't see the point either, but they're real important) are old and crotchety. Although, I hear they pack a good uppercut.

"What do you guys think we're going to get this time?" Joy piped up, killing the comfortable silence.

"Dunno. Maybe we'll get lucky and get a pixie job." Lily grinned and tapped at the fully loaded pistol at her side. Did I mention my co captain was an inconsolable triggerholic? Yeah, thought so.

"Hey, hey, those pixies are nobody's fools," I shot a frown at her, "They're pesky and mischievous little bastards--"

"Yeah, yeah, we all know about your tortured past with flying magical beings, Cam," She and Kyra snickered at my fury as Joy stepped in front of me, hands raised, in an attempt to hold me back, as she was the only one who noticed my hand go to my holster.

"Easy there, Camryn. Keep your berretta down." She patted my arm as my firing hand slowly eased off of the trigger. "Yeah, O Captain My Captain, you don't wanna break an organization rule and fire your weapon in the hallways, do you?" Kyra pat me roughly on the back, obviously forgetting that was hospitalized a few weeks ago.

"Let's just go." Said Lily and she experience a sudden change of character, shoved Kyra to the side and actually grabbed my arm and tried to help me walk. I stared at her incredulously for about half a second before she grinned sheepishly and gently dropped my arm, "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." I patted her shoulder and tried to keep the rest of my pride together while walking on ahead to Sam's office. Sam was our superior and he's the guy in charge of giving each team their mission of the day. He's also the guy who finds new recruits, though we haven't gotten anyone new in a few months. It's better this way, really – more newbies will just get in the way with the bigger missions. They're cute and all, but they get all freaked out when they have to shoot something. It's not like they're killing anything _important_.

"Okay, here we go." I turned towards the enormous golden doors that were the entrance to Sam's office. He always was the type to show off moderately, "You guys ready?"

They nodded in my direction and stood in a line on either side of me. I straightened my collar and reached for the surprisingly tiny doorknob. Sam was also the type to confuse people, I forgot to mention. I turned the knob with my thumb and forefinger and slowly eased the door open.

"Sam?" I called out to the darkness. "Hey, Sam? We're here for the---"

That was all I could get out before it hit me.


	4. Mission Brief

**Oh jeebus, this took long enough to write. It's not much, but I'm having loads of fun, nevertheless :) I'm not entirely sure if anyone's reading this story, but that's cool. I'll keep writing it anyhow 8D Read and [hopefully] enjoy!**

'**Twilight' is not owned by me, nor has it exactly been mentioned yet. Though I do wish it were owned by me, because then I wouldn't've made Dog Boy a pedophile, Ding Dong the epitome of perfection, or a fricking halfa baby. Actually I might have – SMeyer made a killing with that book. Hrm…**

**oo3. The Mission**

I fell to the floor in a crippling heap with something round and heavy on my face right after said huge ball of pain slammed into my head. I really think something in the universe is out to get me, because I don't remember what I did to deserve such a beating the past few weeks. I didn't bother to get up right away, partly from the shock and partly from frustration, and just lay there, sprawled on the floor on top of what felt like an ocean of papers.

"Camryn!" A voice I can only recognize as Lily's cried out and the pressure on my face slowly eased off as the enormous ball was lifted off of me. I kept my eyes shut, but I could recognize Kyra's groans, probably from the effort of lifting the thing. I heard another groan and a loud thud to my left and opened my eyes to the blurry sight of a white ceiling. Hot tears sprang into my eyes from the hit to my nose.

"Oh, darn." A male voice called out from somewhere around me. I heard the crunch of footsteps on paper and a middle-aged man popped into my line of sight. "Sorry about that, Camryn. Just testing out the new cannon. Guess I should look before I ignite." He smiled sheepishly.

"_Cannon_?" I sat up roughly and glared at him through the humiliating tears, "Who in their right mind keeps a cannon in their office? And _why_ did it have to hit _me_?"

"Probably because you were in the way of the target." Sam pointed to the door behind us. I looked over my shoulder and saw the enormous black and white target clumsily painted on the door. "It's a wonder how your nose isn't broken. Guess I should adjust the power on this thing."

I frowned again and managed to get back onto my feet (ignoring Joy and Lily's attempts to help). I grumbled to myself while brushing the random papers off of my cloak and hair. I straightened my collar and took a deep breath to steady myself.

"Sam," I put on my best 'captain' voice and the rest of the team put themselves together behind me, "we're here for our assignment. What have you got for us today?"

"Right," He grew serious too and walked back to his desk to search through the mountain of files and pieces of paper on his cruise liner of a desk, "I've got a biggie for you girls this time around."

"What, like an ogre?" I asked, thinking he meant 'biggie' literally.

"Not exactly." He finally found what he was looking for and grabbed a white folder out of the messy stack. He opened it up while perching his glasses precariously at the tip of his long nose. His eyes became blurs as he quickly read through the file while leaning back against the desk.

"Well? What is it, then?" Kyra wasn't used to being kept waiting. I shook my head slightly and she became silent.

"What you've got here," Sam closed the file with a snap and held on to it, "is a kidnapping."

"Kidnapping?" I was taken aback at this. This sort of thing wasn't really our job, I mean, we weren't the police. A kidnapping isn't exactly a blip on our radar. Unless--

"A girl was kidnapped by a coven of vampires." I stiffened and heard Joy gasp from behind me, "We've had someone do a recon over there after a few suspicions from our western station and they've confirmed it. Up for it?"

"How many vampires?"

"Our man counted six, but there was a chance of more." He walked around his desk and sat on his swiveling chair, opening the folder again and reading, "He got out of there quickly because he said he thought that one of them saw him."

"I see. Well, if one of them saw him, then what are the chances that they'd still be there?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, "wouldn't a group of vampires move immediately if a human spotted them?"

"That's correct. Usually." He wore a frown as he leafed through the file some more. "But these creatures are a little different than the traditional kind. For one thing, they walked around outside without any difficulty."

I blinked. "What, are they wearing some kind of talisman or something?"

"Could be." He shrugged, "But there's more. There hasn't been any word of unexplained human deaths in their area like there should be."

"Then they haven't been feeding." Lily walked up next to me and assumed her position of second-in-command. "But how is that possible?"

"Maybe they took people down quietly. Quietly enough that authorities wouldn't notice." Joy piped up.

"Nuh uh. Even if the cops don't notice, those people's families would and _then _notify them. I say they've got their own storage of human blood." Kyra suggested, stepping up to my other side.

Sam nodded, "That's what I thought too. The fact there is no evidence that these vampires are hurting anyone lets them slide out of our radar. However—"

"Nabbing a kid is another story." I finished his sentence and clenched my fists. I pictured a little kid scared and alone, in a room full of ravenous vampires. I then remembered my baby sister and an inferno of rage erupted inside of me. "If these dirty vampires want to take a little girl away from her family, they've got another damn thing coming." I walked up to Sam and made a grab for the file.

He pulled it out of my reach and looked at me seriously through his small glasses. "Camryn, usually I would save this sort of mission for Team A. These sorts of vampires are very different from what you're—I'm not saying that they're any better than you!" He added hastily when I glared. That team of boys is no better than us and we're no better than them, but for some reason they're Team A and we're Team B. Personally, I think it's sexist, but I try not to be bitter about it. Usually.

"I understand that these guys are a going to be a little more difficult than what my team is usually up against." I rolled my eyes, "But I'm sure we'll be just fine. Now hand it over, please."

He still held on to it, "I'm serious. As your superior, I order you to make ready some backup for this mission. By the way, the girl kidnapped isn't a _little _girl, per se." Sam opened the file again and leafed through it before he found what he was looking for, "She's a little older than you, actually. I figured that would calm you down a bit." He said with a laugh when he saw me relax slightly. He knew about my sensitivity when the situation involved children, and I appreciated his clarification.

"Here," He handed me the file and walked back to his seat, "I'm going to request a backup team for you right now, since I'm not sure if I trust you to not walk out of here and some how 'forget'. Good luck, ladies." He picked up his phone and did a little wave.

"Sure am glad that the girl's not a tot. I can't handle kids." Kyra said after we had left Sam's office and made our way through the halls again.

"This mission's going to be tough anyway, though." Lily said thoughtfully, "Sam said these vamps were a little wacky, and I think I've had a first hand account of the wacky."

"Y'mean that sparkly one?" I turned to her with a raised eyebrow, "You think they're connected?"

"Sounds possible to me. I was there and I still can't believe it—"

"I know! It's freaking ridiculous!" Kyra exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and cutting Lily off, "How would sparkling help a vampire anyhow? I can't believe they don't even _explode _or someth—"

"In any case, we won't find out until we go." Joy leaned over and smiled at me around her sister, "So how're we gonna tackle this one, Captain?"

I smirked, shoving one hand into my pocket and tapping my holstered pistol with the other, "We're going to hit it good. And hard."

"That's what _she_ said."


End file.
